Driving-gear.



Patented May I4, |901.

3 Sheets-Sheet I.

. o. HUBERT.

DRIVING GEAR. (Application filed Aug. 14, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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No. 674,218. Patented May I4, |9ol.

0. ROBERT.

DRIVING GEAR.

(nu Model.) (Application me Aug 14'1899') 3 sheets-.sheet 2.

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------- @w f \V/ L@ f f f Elf/Wg- W0@ 1 Attorneys No. 674,2ls. Patented may I4, lam.

o. ROBERT.

DRIVING GEAR.

(Application led Aug. 14. 1899.)

(No ModeI.) 3 Sheets-$heet 3.

VViEnesses: Tnvennr'; Z 0 cfav'eer v Bv /Mow I NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OCTAVE ROBERT, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

DRIVING-GEAR.

SPECIFICATION fOlming part f LetteI'S Patent N0. 674,218, dated. May 14, `1901.

Application led August 14:, 1899. Serial No. 727,174. (No model.) i

ferent parts being simple and independent from each other may be easily exchanged and replaced; second, to do away in the said mechanism with screws, nuts, and bolts in order to avoid the running loose of its parts, and,third, to base the gearing mechanism on a principle j which permits the dierent parts to be easily manufactured, the gearing of the pinions to remain always in a perfect state, and, the transmission-shaft being uninterrupted and rigid, an easy handlingof the machine, While the protective caps, though easy to open, are absolutely tight.

The invention will be fully described hereinafter and the features of novelty pointed out in the appended claim. l

' Reference is to be had .to the accompanyin drawings, in which- Figures l and 2 are sectional plans show-` ing, respectively, therear and the front part of the improved driving-gear as applied to a bicycle. Fig. 3'isa detail side elevation of one of the pinions on thelongitudinal transmitting-shaft with the means for connecting it with the said shaft. Fig. 4 is an end view of said shaft, and Fig. 5 is a face view of the pinion. v 4

The bottom bracket or crank-hanger ay has, as is usual, four lugs or sockets adapted for connection with'the various frame bars or tubes. One of these sockets is widened to receive the pinion b on the front end of the longitudinal or side shaft u, which transmits motion from the crank-shaft f to the rear wheel. To the crank-shaft is rigidly attached a cup g, having ball-bearing races both upon its inner and upon its outer surface. A cone e,

screwing into a normally stationary cover cl,

connected with the hanger a, engages the inner series of balls held by the cup g, while the balls engaging the cup on the outside work in conjunction with a bevel-wheel o'. The latter is not rigidly connected with the crank-shaft f, but capable of a partial rotation thereon, being fastened to one end of a spring h, coiled within the hub t" of the pinion t', while the other end of the spring is rigidly secured to the cup g by fitting into one of a series of apertures provided in the central portion of the cup.' Thus the pinion 'L' is l capable of a limited yielding torsional motion relatively to the shaft f. The spring is preferably in the nature of a band rectangulary in cross-section,as with this construction suliicient torsional resistance is obtained even .l

with a comparatively short spring. The inner end of thehub i has a disk` i2 with a groove vto receive balls also engaging a corresponding groove in a cup lc, screwed o n the shaft f. l

j is the1customarycone,wor'king'in conjunc-A tion with ball-bearings and a cap c, and Z is an adjusting screw-collarinterposed between the cup k and cone j.V 4

The pinion is inl driving engagement with another pinion b, mounted to rotate with the side shaft or transmission-shaft u, located within the frame-tube n. To secure a perfect meshing of the gears notwithstanding slight deformations of the frame, the shaft u carries ting into notches b of the Wheel b, the length of the notches being greater than that of the projections. The pinion b runs on balls interposed between it and twoAopposing cones q and 1', the cone r screwing on the shank of the cone q and being held by a nut s, likewise screwing on said Shank. The cone q screws on a stationary axle p, screwed or otherwise .a collar o, with a series of projections o trigidly connected with the crank-hanger a.'

This axle and the cone q are provided with- IOO The axle p, on which the rear pinion b rotates, is here secured to an extension u' of the rear-wheel h ub Ll,which extension at the same time forms a gear-case.

z represents washers on the rear axle 3, and l is the nut at one end of the axle, while at the other end is located the step 7.

6 is the lug or socket of the horizontal rear stay on the left side of the bicycle.

On the axle 3 screw the two cones 5, engaging balls, as usual, and working in conjunction with a cup l0 on the hub 4: and with a bevel-.pinion rigidly connected with the hub.

y is a cap completing the gear-case, and 2 represents the rear-fork members.

As shown in Fig. 2, I may secure to the crank-hanger ct, on the inside thereof, one end of a spring 8, wound spirally around the hub e" of the pinion t', the other end of said spring being secured to a rod or other connection 9, leading to a point within easy reach of the rider, as the handle-bar. It will be understood that a pull upon this connection will bring the spring Sinto frictional engagement with the hub i', thus acting as a brake.

When the rider operates the pedals, the

crank-shaft f and plate g willfor a short pe- 4 riod turn independently of the pinion t', owing to the elastic connection afforded by the spring 7L. As soon as the tension of the spring becomes sufficient to overcome the resistance the pinion fr' will be rotated, transmitting motion to the shaft u and to the hub 4E of the rear wheel. Jars due to various causes will be taken up b vthe spring 72 and the latter will act as an equalizer, so that the driving power applied to the rear wheel will be practically uniform.- The particular construction of the spring and its arrangement within the h ub z" render this part of the gear very com pact and effective.

Another advantageous feature of my invention is the provision ofthe stationary axles 1J for the pinions b of the transmission-shaft u andthe particular manner of mounting and connecting these parts. I thus enable the pinions b and their adjuncts to be readily removed and adjusted and secure an efficient driving action,even when the frame is slightly sprung out of true.

Various modifications may be made withont departing from the nature of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- In a driving-gear, a driving-shaft carrying a gear-Wheel, a driven part likewise carrying a gear-Wheel, a framework, a tubular transmission-shaft extending in the direction from one gear-wheel to the other, aXially-alining, spaced stationary studs or axles secured to the framework, pinions supported on said studs exclusively and meshing with the adjacent gear-wheels, compensating unions between said pinions and the tubular shaft, ball-bearing cones on the studs, balls held between said cones and the pinions, and means carried by the studs, for locking the bearingcones, the said studs extending through the pinions and into the transmission-shaft, and the latter being supported Whollyupon the studs, through the medium of the pinions.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set myV hand in presence of two witnesses.

OCTAVE ROBERT.

Witnesses:

ARMAND PICARD, EDWARD P. MACLEAN. 

